Concert: The Little Match Girl Passion – Dark & Light

A Modern Passion Story – Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved 1845 tale The Little Match Girl is brought into the present in David Lang’s irresistible composition The Little Match Girl Passion, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2008. Echoes of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion resonate through both the text and the minimalist music, which builds with powerful intensity as the story unfolds.

Another of Andersen’s texts inspired Danish composer Bo Holten to create Regn og rusk og rosenbusk, a virtuosic piece for 16 voices, rich in caressing harmonies and touches of gentle humor. Two opposing views on life engage in a compelling dialogue between soloists and choir.

The concert also includes Ingvar Lidholm’s De profundis, based on verses from Psalm 130:1, 2, and 5, as well as a setting of A Dream Play by August Strindberg. With bold strokes, dramatic moods are painted from both texts, allowing the full emotional spectrum of the Passion season to come to life.

1 March 2026, Gothenburg